BY THE NUMBERS: 52 – The number of years since Duke has won a postseason bowl game. The Blue Devils beat Arkansas 7-6 in the 1961 Cotton Bowl. Arkansas’ lone touchdown came on a 49-yard punt return by eventual college and pro football Hall of Famer Lance Alworth, but the Razorbacks’ missed extra point proved decisive when Duke scored a late touchdown and converted its extra point for the victory.

DUKE GAME PLAN: Clinching the school’s first postseason berth in 18 years came in a 33-30 victory over rival North Carolina on Oct. 20. Since that was followed by four losses to end the regular season – three in blowout fashion – simply regaining confidence will be a key for Duke. Duke’s passing game has rightfully gotten much of the attention for the Blue Devils this season – three receivers combined for a school-record 206 receptions this season – but Duke struggles if it can’t establish a running game. The Blue Devils are 0-4 in game in which they fail to pick up 100 yards in a game.

CINCINNATI GAME PLAN: While Duke looks to regain confidence, the Bearcats will simply be looking for stability with head coach Butch Jones departing for another job and after missing out on a BCS bowl trip by virtue of a 34-31 overtime loss at Louisville in late October. One would suspect the younger Cincinnati players would want to make a strong showing for their soon-to-be head coach Tommy Tuberville, who left Texas Tech for Cincinnati earlier this month, but won’t be coaching the Bearcats in this game.

MATCHUPS TO WATCH: While Munchie Legaux’s game-winning TD pass against Virginia Tech is probably what many ACC fans remember about Cincinnati this season, Legaux was replaced as the Bearcats starting quarterback by Brendon Kay in the eighth game of the season. Kay was more efficient (6 TDs, 2 interceptions) and led team to 3-1 finish. Cincinnati’s George Winn rushed for 1,240 yards and 12 touchdowns. Against a Duke defense that yielded 248 of more yards rushing in five of its last six games – including the last four defeats – the Blue Devils will have to find a way to stop Winn or be in for a long night.

WHAT’S AT STAKE: Duke is not only playing in its first bowl game since 1994, but with a victory, the Blue Devils can also have the first winning record since that season. In the 18 years since, Duke has had 17 straight losing records, including four winless seasons and two one-win teams. For Cincinnati, the Bearcats have a chance to become the sixth 10-win team in school history and the fifth 10-win season in six years.

NOTABLE: Three players – two from Cincinnati and one from Duke – have shown up on NFL draft boards. Duke’s 6-foot-1, 200-pound wide receiver Conner Vernon is considered a top 30 player at his position, while Cincinnati’s 6-3, 212-pound safety Drew Frey and 6-3, 249-pound defensive end Walter Stewart are considered top 10 and top 30, respectively, at their positions….

Cincinnati senior QB Brendon Kay is in his sixth year of collegiate competition, having been granted another year by the NCAA last December. Kay played only six games from 2008-11 due to knee injuries, but played 10 games each of the last two seasons….

Duke’s streak of consecutive kicks after touchdowns is 68, which is the longest active streak in the major college football….

When Sean Renfree directed Duke to the late rally in the 33-30 win over North Carolina that made the Blue Devils bowl eligible, it gave him four career game-winning, fourth-quarter drives. Walt Rappold is Duke’s all-time fourth-quarter game-winning drive leader with five in 1961-62, while Renfree is tied with 1980s quarterbacks Ben Bennett (1980-83) and Steve Slayden (1984-87)….

PREDICTION: Duke is expected to be the home team, due to Durham’s closer proximity to Charlotte, but Cincinnati’s fan base has grown due to the Bearcats’ recent success. But how will Cincy fans respond to having a Big East co-champion being coached by an interim coach in a second-tier bowl? Assuming Cincinnati plays as it has throughout the season, the Bearcats are the better team. But if Duke’s defense can get healthy enough to stop the Bearcats’ running game, the Blue Devils certainly appear to have enough firepower to make this a high-scoring game. Cincinnati 42, Duke 38.